One of the key advantages of having a bespoke website is that it is built just for you and your business needs. This means it will be simple to use, as the CMS (short for Content Management System) will be optimised purely for your website.

Another big benefit is security. Open-source platforms expose their inner workings to anyone who wishes to download them. This means if you don’t keep your open-source platform up to date with all the latest security patches, you may be at risk of intrusion.

Cost is often the main issue when choosing a bespoke design over an open-source website. Do you feel this is the biggest concern or are there other pitfalls that businesses should be aware of?

A bespoke website that is built from scratch for your exact business needs is always going to cost more than a website built using an open-source platform. However, another issue arises if they attempt to transfer a bespoke website to another development team because it has indeed been built in such a tailored manner.

Unless your bespoke website comes with well-written documentation, you may end up paying for your new development team to learn the previous code. Even worse, you may have to fork out for it to be completely rebuilt.

So, when should businesses consider using an open-source website?

I think all businesses should consider open-source platforms. I don’t believe in reinventing the wheel, so if other developers out there have built useful plugins or modules, I say use what you can.

If you know what you are doing, an open-source platform really can save you a lot of time and money.

Can you think of any instances when businesses should steer clear of an open-source website?

It is important to highlight that open-source platforms can’t do everything. Therefore, if your needs are very niche, you may not have any other choice but to have a bespoke website built.

Whatever happens though, be sure to consider every possibility before choosing your final solution.

To find out how we can help you create your new website, contact us directly. We will be more than happy to help.